cliff. >> no substantive progress has been made in the talks between the white house and the house over the last two weeks. so right now all eyes are on the white house. the country doesn't need a victory lap. it needs leadership. >> speaker boehner said the president needs to get serious about what spending cuts he's willing to make. but that was news to senate majority leader harry reid. >> he says that democrats have got to get serious about cuts, spending cuts. where is the disconnect then? >> i don't understand his brain, so you should ask him, okay? >> he's not alone. all this comes as treasury secretary tim geithner held separate meetings today with boehner, reid, nancy pelosi, and mitch mcconnell, and over at the white house spokesman jay carney said the debt ceiling should not be a pawn in any kind of fiscal gamesmanship. >> asking for a -- that a political price be paid in order for congress to do its job to ensure that the united states of america pays its bills and does not default for the first time in its history is deeply irresponsible. >> now, if you're sensing a distinc